


The First Time

by Louhime



Category: Moonlight (TV)
Genre: Eventual Josef/Beth, F/M, Flashback-ish, Gen, Not the best picture of Mick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-30
Updated: 2014-03-30
Packaged: 2018-01-17 15:08:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1392211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Louhime/pseuds/Louhime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Josef is introduced to Beth, old memories are reawakened. </p><p>It was far from the first time they had met.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The First Time

**Author's Note:**

> Don't own yada yada. All the usual.
> 
> Right if you want to read this, go right on sir and madam, seats are free down on row D. If you don't please don't read it. Simple, right?
> 
> It's not very fast paced, as I haven't gotten round to adding to it yet and it is an old fic of mine from FF.net. Italics are Josef thinking.
> 
> I may add to it in the future, maybe it will remain on its lonesome. Maybe it likes it that way. 
> 
> Have a good read and feel free to comment on my punctuation, grammar and spelling. Or just want to say Hey? That's fine also. 
> 
> Warnings at the bottom, if you feel like reading them. There isn't many. 
> 
> Much love, Lou

The first time I touched her, I realised that she bruised.

When Mick found her, as a small terrified child, he was messed up, confused I guess by what had happened that night. The right thing to do would have been to contact the police and return the girl to her mother’s arms, and then when the confusion was over to come to me and order his brain. But after the events of that night Mick wasn't thinking straight so he and the little girl, his precious mission, arrived at mine, tear-stained and shrouded in soot.

As Mick stumbled in the front door I had the freshies escorted from the property with gifts and apologies, for our night being cut short. I glanced at Mick, he looked like a human in shock, all glazed over eyes vacant expression and shivering, so I guided him to the nearest lounge all the while the bundle in his arms was softly whimpering. A softly shimmering confection of satiny bows and pretty lace, now off-white from ash and travel mussed where the delicate material was bunched in Mick's fists.

We entered into the elegant room, my personal favourite, furnished in dark reds and browns with a crackling fire and a stone floor softened by a selection of thick rugs.

Mick stood as if dumbfounded at finding himself there, inwardly I sighed, it would be difficult getting the important details from him tonight. Placing a gentle guiding hand between his shoulder blades I led him to a crimson sofa draped in soft blankets in front of the mantle piece, the image of the fire reflecting in his eyes as he slowly sat, he jostled the little bundle in his arms for it to whimper loudly.

His arms tightened convulsively, I wasn't sure how much of his strength he had and how much he was using on the small thing in his arms, eliciting a louder pained whimper, _too much strength then_. Mick looked to his arms and blinked as if he never realised he was holding something. 

Another sigh deeper this time, _bloody hell the things a man does for his friends_. I eased myself down on the sofa beside him, slowly so as not startle him.

“Mick, you are in no condition to do anything right now, so” I stretched out my arms to receive his bundle “give it here, get something to eat then go to sleep, alright?” I murmured softly

He blinked twice; blinking being the only thing his body was able to do at that moment, his gaze switched between the object in his arms and my hands as if willing something to happen. I heaved another sigh, _idiot_. After a few moments he loosened his vice grip on the delicate flesh so I slipped my arms beneath his and gently lifted it away and settled it awkwardly against my body.

As I accepted it I noticed more about it, first it wasn't an it but a her. A small child no more than a handful of years old. And Human.

I settled her more comfortably against my chest and soon the whimpers quietened and trailed off. Looking down I saw huge blue eyes staring up at me, reddened by the tears that still trailed down her cheeks, her small mouth lips parted and reddened from chewing. From fear if I had to guess, to stop any sounds from escaping.

Shining blonde hair slightly marred by soot and ash was cut into a soft bob style. Looking at her I realised that she was shivering, from my death cold skin I figured, so reaching behind me I gathered up the thick mahogany blanket and tucked it around her small body, shifting her to wrap her fully in its warmer embrace.

As I did so I leaned back into the comfort of the sofa in a noticeable human gesture of relaxation, while not completely pointless for me I did more so to keep the child from noticing the unnatural stillness with which I held myself. Fully relaxed into the back of the sofa I shifted her on my lap to give more comfort.

She was a curious little thing, all bright eyes and sun healthy skin. In those eyes was a lingering fear and unease but rapidly growing and overpowering them was a driving….. curiosity and wonder. How peculiar. As a human and more so a child she should have been uncomfortable, afraid, acknowledging the very primal fear of the predator lurking beneath my skin. Very few humans weren't in some way aware of how dangerous a creature I am.

Even when there weren't any fangs and wild eyes, ready and more than willing to tear them to pieces, showing what they all instinctively know that I am not to be trifled with.

She should have been crying by now or at the very least trying to inch away. But there she sat on my lap as if she were at home being cradled by her father, staring in wonder with curiosity burning in her eyes, little hesitant _innocent_ hands coming to reach and play with the lapels of my jacket, to touch me, my skin.

Those eyes of hers, that curiosity, were telling me that one day she was going to be trouble, to any and all who met her. I shifted in the chair, moving my hands to lay against my stomach and her wandering hands slipped from my jacket and instantly set course to touch me again as if I were a favoured toy. A small bemused smile tugged at the corners of my lips, this child was beginning to fascinate me as I so obviously did her.

She reached and touched my jacket once more, an odd sort of fond pat. My smile grew. The child glanced up at my face and spotted my smile, a mirror began on her own with little dimples many would deem cute. Her exploration moved from my jacket and shirt to my hands, stroking the skin of the backs of my hands, my palms.

Then onto my inner wrists, a gesture that not many could ever get away with as the more delicate skin was covering the life blood that sustained me, _one of the ultimate gestures of trust in the vampire world and it’s a child, what does that say about me?,_ then to my fingers Thoroughly exploring every inch of skin available. She made noises of interest and fascination each time she spotted a new dent or traced a scar.

Looking at my hands I couldn't see what she so obviously saw, all I saw was hands, used to bring death or pleasure, I was undeniably skilled at both, _many can attest to that_ , a self-satisfied grin covered my smile. I saw the stains of deeds that would follow me until the final sleep of my eternity, the grin faded but the smile remained. Such an inquisitive child and still no fear in her.

She grew more eager to reach more of the skin that amazed her so she reached further, her nightgown sleeves rode up and I saw the beginnings of mottled bruises along her fore arm. I slowly moved my hands from beneath her own and hovered them above her skin, silently asking permission, _asking permission from a child?_ A derisive snort wanted to escape but I kept it locked in my throat. _How many would laugh at the infamous Konstantin asking permission from a mere child?_  

But she hadn't cried so far and I wanted to keep it that way, she stilled her reaching fingers and permitted me to see. I moved and lightly grasped the silky material, dragging it back of her arm. The more I saw, the more defined the shapes of the bruises became. The amused smile froze on my face and faded away. The bruises, rapidly blackening bands forming fingers, splayed across the vulnerable skin there. Mick had, entirely without intention of harm I was sure, bruised the girl but still something in me still sat up and snarled.

As a vampire, the state of humans in general, didn’t really affect me, whether they were bruised and broken, covered in vomit and other bodily fluids or singing gleefully. But in my four hundred plus years of existence I had never intentionally injured a child or any truly young one, even as a fledgling reeling from instinct and hunger and so much newness I drew an unconscious line at children, something about seeing them broken and twisted never appealed to me or my beast. Their screams and whimpers of pain always brought my beast under control again even from the wildest of rages.

I felt my eyes bleed into silver and my fangs elongate, something I had, had control over from the very beginning, _bugger, it all goes downhill from here,_ and she gasped, here came the screaming and whimpering, a normal human reaction when faced with something so truly alien. My eyes providing solid proof that I was truly not human, no matter what my countenance showed.

But as I glanced up at her face she lifted her small fingers from my grasp, small lips still parted, and towards my eyes. I stared at her fingers inching closer to my eyes, wary that they may go from exploring to poking in an instant. Children could be so fickle.

Seemingly without my permission the small smile crept back on to my face. She was _still_ completely relaxed. Bemused at her seeming lack of survival instincts I let her continue with her mission, any other child I was sure would have burst into tears or started screaming by now. But the curious little thing she was she kept reaching, her short arms reached their limits so she shuffled closer and a little palm collided gently with my cheek.

At this she finally tensed her hand jerking back a little, but as her wide baby blues flicked to my face a quick quirk of my lips calmed her and the tension vanished. Amusement warmed something cold under my chest, she was not so shamelessly bold after all. Her hand slowly rested on my cheek again she let out her quiet noises of interest and wonder again, the warmth from her skin seemed to burn me with its heat when compared with the lack of it in my own. Her eyes sparkled with surprised joy and her questing fingertips grew bolder still, more unrestrained. I could only wonder what quirk of nature made this child before me unafraid, wondering not crying, exploring not running. It was an experience, to say the least.

My eyes still locked onto the child before me, I heard Mick shakily stand and shuffle off towards the door with slow unsteady steps. I didn't need to help him, even in a near catatonic state he knew where everything was and he’d been in worse states before, thanks to his white knight syndrome, and still managed to get around. If not I’d send security to round him up in a few hours, he couldn’t do much damage, to himself or the furniture in his state.  This child was a puzzle and like all good puzzles, needed to be solved.

I glanced towards the mantle, searching for the antique clock there, 3:37 in the morning; I flicked my gaze back to the child in my lap, she let out a little mewling yawn, for a human she was rather…adorable. I could see that she was tired, the fire in her eyes a little dulled and her eyelids fluttered often only to snap back open. _Funny how she seemed so awake and alive a few minkutes ago and now she could barely keep her eyes open._ The exploring hands still attempted to continue with their now favourite past time but sleep was draining the strength from her little form, as her lids covered her eyes longer and longer each time they closed and her little arms tucked themselves into her body one hand latching onto my shirt cuff, it occurred to me that I didn't even know the humans name.

“Little human, what’s your name?” I asked softly.

I wrapped her more securely in her blankets and snuggled her more deeply in them, she let out a soft sound of contentment. I thought that she has well and truly fallen asleep, her heart was slow and her body completely lax.

From the depths of fabric came a tiny sleepy whisper “Beth”.

**Author's Note:**

> Minor mention of child abuse (bruises), character in shock, confusion of a centuries old vampire confronted with a small child. 
> 
> That is all I think? 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it, I did writing it. 
> 
> See you around some day?


End file.
